About the School Readiness Project

Community Collaborations for Children: The School Readiness Project

When children come to school ready to learn, they are much more likely to succeed in school and to later become responsible, productive members of society. School readiness is based on children's physical, social, emotional, and cognitive deveolpment. Although the complex lives faced by families of young children today involve multiple, interrelated factors that can promote or undermine human development and family well-being, many current programming efforts remain fragmented, categorical, and uncoordinated. Programming to support the development of young children is much more efficient and effective when it is preventive, when it is focused on supporting the family's role, and when it is locally designed to serve demonstrated needs.

UWEX's School Readiness Project promotes school readiness by helping Wisconsin communities develop local coalitions linking people and organizations concerned about young children (prenatal through the early school years) and their families. Each community project begins with the creation of a diverse task force including parents and local representatives of health care, early education and child care, elementary education, family support services, business, religion, and government. With the local UW-Extension Family Living Educator as a facilitator, the Project helps these coalitions assess local strengths and needs and carry out strategic planning. These collaborative processes serve as a catalyst for community-based programs that are preventive, integrated, and comprehensive.

The School Readiness Project was developed as a joint project of the UW-Extension and the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The first community project was piloted in Watertown, Wisconsin by UWEX Family Living educator Mary Gruenewald and the Watertown Community School Readiness Project collaborators. There are currently community projects in Watertown, Merrill, WestAllis/West Milwaukee, Menominee County/Nation, Platteville, Westosha, Sparta, Necedah, Mauston, Gillett and Madison, Wisconsin.

Project Co-Directors are Gay Eastman, UW-Extension Child Development and Early Childhood Education Specialist and Laurie Boyce, UW-Extension Family Living Programs Program Leader. From 1996-2001 the project was funded and supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) of the United States Department of Agriculture through its Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) state strengthening initiative.

For further information, contact:
 

Gay Eastman, PhD  School Readiness Project Coordinator School of Human Ecology  University of Wisconsin-Madison

1300 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706 Phone: 608-262-1115 E-mail: geastman@facstaff.wisc.edu